The father of a January Sheffield Wednesday recruit has advised Owls fans not to ‘take life too seriously’ after footage of him slating the club resurfaced on Twitter.
Josh Windass became Wednesday’s third and final senior recruit of the winter window minutes before the deadline on Friday.
In doing so, the Wigan Athletic-owned attacking midfielder followed in the footsteps of his dad, Dean, who also played for the Owls on loan.
But it wasn’t just the blue-and-white half of Sheffield that Windass Sr represented, with the 50-year-old later appearing for Neil Warnock’s United.
And while speaking to a Blades fan at an event which happened – he thinks – ‘about five years ago’, Windass Sr appeared to declare a red-and-white allegiance.
“Sheffield United are the best ******* team in Sheffield,” he is filmed saying. “You need to wind your ******* neck in because Sheffield Wednesday are ******* *****.”
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But Windass Sr tweeted out the following message on Sunday:
And in a video message posted on Monday morning, he offered further clarification.
Just to clarify something,” said the former Bradford City, Middlesbrough and Hull City striker. “You know me. Now, little bit of craic, bit of banter going on about this Sheffield Wednesday/Sheffield United (thing). I did a video about five years ago, I think it was. You can tell because I haven’t got any tattoos. Bit of banter with the Sheffield United fans telling me about Sheffield Wednesday – they’re this, they’re that, the other. Just a bit of banter. Don’t take life too serious(ly), for God’s sake. It’s not only because Josh is at Sheffield Wednesday now. It doesn’t really matter. I want every Yorkshire club to do well. Every Yorkshire club to get in the Premier League. It makes it better for the Premier League.
Alongside his fellow deadline-day recruit, Connor Wickham, Windass Jr missed the cut-off to be registered in time for Wednesday’s visit of Millwall on Saturday, but is in contention to feature at Barnsley on Saturday.
The 26-year-old, who is reported to have cost Wigan £2m in 2018, had scored four goals in 15 Championship games for the Latics this season, before being ousted by Kieran Dowell.